By Major General Shamsher Singh Ahlawat, Advisor, NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltd (NLDSL)
There is tremendous momentum around logistics in India today. The potential exists for a ‘dynamic living supply chain map’, a digital real-time representation of all the goods travelling through the entire country from port to warehouse to highway to retailer, to become a reality right now because of the combination of India’s robust digital infrastructure, advanced technology sector, and visionary government policies. If the ‘dynamic living supply chain map’ were created successfully, it would expand on the existing supply chain and elevate India to one of the leaders globally for logistics and supply chain intelligence.
Logistics transformation using real-time visibility
Classical supply chain maps illustrated an individual moment in time view of the status of supply chain and have left many businesses responding after delays and disruptions occur. Real time living maps provide the ability to track every shipment and vehicle as well as the location of virtually every warehouse node in the supply chain. This enables the ability to make proactive decisions that reduce delays, create optimal routes, and increase operational efficiency. Meanwhile, businesses can expect to have increased speed of delivery, an overall decrease in total costs and greater service quality. The economy is expected to have a stronger Supply Chain Ecosystem with more robust and competitive offerings.
A strong reputation for logistics innovation will become tremendously valuable to India from both a commercial perspective and an international economic development perspective. Global trade is becoming increasingly reliant on transparency, reliability and predictability. This will create a tremendous opportunity for India to lead through logistics innovation in creating a living supply chain map. It will afford India the opportunity to attract quality international investment, inspire confidence with global buyers and encourage them to conduct business with India.
Advancements in technology & innovation
Modern technology makes possible the realisation of this vision through IoT, GPS, RFID, and Cloud-based analytical tools that will provide near-real time access for tracking shipment status where AI and Predictive Algorithms are capable of predicting problems before they arise and offer other options (e.g. different routes) to get you back on schedule and to enhance operational efficiencies for warehousing; by making the entire process of logistics proactive as opposed to just the reactionary methods of solving problems, while also improving sustainability and ensuring that “waste” is minimised within the entire ecosystem.
India’s current state of technological innovation and entrepreneurship is ideal for aiding in the transition from legacy to digital infrastructure due to a combination of digital infrastructure development strategies and the long history and extensive knowledge of analytical and artificial intelligence implementation that will enable carriers, warehouses and transport networks to all work together seamlessly through the sharing of common data.
The Logistics Data Bank (LDB) dashboard is one step in this direction. The rich intelligence provides actionable insights into container movement and logistics efficiency across key nodes in India. By utilising data from RFID-based container tracking as well as EDI integrations with various other digital systems like Terminal Operating System (TOS), Port Community System (PCS) and others, LDB helps importers, exporters, logistics service providers and policymakers to optimise the supply chain across India.
Positive impact and opportunities
Not only would implementing a living map result in lower operational costs and delays for companies, but it would also build consumer confidence. Companies will be able to utilise the power of this technology to increase their efficiency and improve their management of supply chains. Thus helping to ensure that perishables and high-value items are delivered on time, safely and securely to consumers. Therefore, this innovation will allow India to be recognised globally as a leader in smart logistics and create new standards in supply chain transparency and resilience.
Government initiatives, such as the National Logistics Policy, as well as platforms like the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), provide the necessary framework for companies and other organisations to integrate their data and improve their business processes. ULIP provides the opportunity for secure, standardised and consent-based data sharing across multiple logistics networks, thereby helping to eliminate data silos, providing visibility across modes and stakeholders to enhance the end-to-end view of the supply chain, and ensuring a strong alignment between technology, policy and business. Through this alignment, India will achieve an unprecedented level of success in the global marketplace.
Conclusion
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